2025 Tyler Go Red for Women Luncheon to celebrate Texas beauty queen’s story of strength and survival
TYLER, Texas, May 12, 2025 – This year marks the 21st anniversary of the national Go Red for Women movement, an American Heart Association initiative dedicated to increasing women’s heart health awareness and serving as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally. The movement’s local achievements will be celebrated on Friday, May 16, 2025, with the Tyler Go Red for Women Luncheon at Green Acres Crosswalk Conference Center.
The luncheon will feature American Heart Association advocate and heart disease survivor Chloe Burke. She was first runner-up to Miss Texas in 2024 and will compete in the Miss Texas pageant again this summer as Miss Heart of Texas.
Burke, a former Division 1 collegiate cheerleader for the University of Houston, suffered sudden cardiac arrest while performing at the 2019 Armed Forces Bowl. Tests revealed she had myocardial bridging, a congenital heart defect. After undergoing open heart surgery and a grueling recovery, she returned to cheerleading just 11 weeks later.
“I took my rehab, and I ate, slept, breathed it for 11 weeks,” recalls Burke. “It was a huge mental and physical barrier, but it's something that I worked every single solitary day for. And I truly think my mindset of that grit and determination is what got me through it quicker.”
She now advocates for heart health awareness and lobbies for CPR lessons in schools and widespread access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Despite her setbacks, she graduated with a perfect GPA and continues to educate others about heart disease. Earlier this year, she received the prestigious Heart of the Advocate Scholarship Award, presented in collaboration with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative.
The luncheon is expected to draw about 300 volunteers, supporters and guests and will feature a heart-healthy lunch and mission-minded fashion show.
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease causes 1 in 3 deaths among women each year, and nearly 45% of women aged 20 and older are living with some form of cardiovascular disease. In the United States, over 60 million women (44%) are living with some form of heart disease.
For the third consecutive year, the Tyler Go Red for Women movement is led by co-chairpersons Lecia Bowman chief nursing officer at UT Health Tyler and North Campus, and Donna Bowers, regional director of Cardiovascular and Oncology Services at UT Health East Texas.
"Heart health is a critical issue that affects millions of women every year,” said Bowman. “Our goal is to raise awareness and empower women to take control of their cardiovascular health through education and support."
"By coming together at events like the Go Red for Women Luncheon, we can make a real difference in our community,” Bowers said. “We are committed to advocating for heart health and ensuring that every woman has the resources she needs to live a healthy, vibrant life."
The Tyler Circle of Red is championed by co-chairpersons Kristen Brice, market director of physician relations and outreach for Ardent Health, and Sandra Tovar, director of nursing at UT Health Tyler Hospital.
Circle of Red is Go Red for Women’s annual giving society, made up of passionate individuals who are committed to fighting heart disease and stroke in women. They are members are leaders in their communities and families, often driven by personal experiences with heart disease. They are some of the greatest champions of the Go Red for Women movement, helping to save lives and further the mission of improving women’s heart health.
Go Red for Women is nationally sponsored by CVS Health and locally supported by UT Health East Texas and the University of Texas at Tyler. Media support is by Tyler Today magazine.
Learn more at heart.org/TylerGoRed. For sponsorship opportunities and tickets, contact Devon Churchill at Devon.Churchill@heart.org .
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
For Media Inquiries
Cyd King: cyd.king@heart.org
For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org
